Educational Science

Some people claim to never forget a face. And the ability can prove to be socially awkward. A new study finds some people can remember faces of people they met years ago and only in passing. Others of us, of course, aren't blessed with that ability. In fact about 2...

My Wife is a Zillow Addict

We used to choose cell phones for their basic functionality, carrier quality and maybe relatively unimportant things like color or ring tones. But more and more, it's about apps. Take, for example, Zillow, an app that rhymes with pillow probably because the company knew my wife would choose one over...

Americans grow happier as they age, surveys find. And a new Pew Research Center survey shows the tendency is holding up as the economy tanks. Happiness is a complex thing. Past studies have found that happiness is partly inherited, that Republicans are happier than Democrats, and that old men tend...

'Ida' Fossil Hype Went Too Far

Science is supposed to be methodical, and usually it is, sometimes to the point of being dull. But there are times when a little hoopla is called for. Major discoveries that rewrite the textbooks deserve big headlines and ubiquitous media coverage and lots of scientific slaps on the back and...

For Health, Recess as Good as Gym Class

As usual, your Mom was right. When she told you to get outside and play, she instinctively knew that would be good for you. Researchers at the University of Exeter have found that kids' natural short bursts of play energy contribute just as much to a healthy lifestyle as longer...

The Whole World Is Optimistic, Survey Finds

Despite current economic woes, a new study based on global survey data finds optimism to be universal. Sunny outlooks are most prevalent in Ireland, Brazil, Denmark, and New Zealand. The United States ranks No. 10. Nearly 90 percent of people around the globe expect the next five years to be...

Earliest Known Case of Leprosy Unearthed

A 4,000-year-old skeleton found in India bears the earliest archaeological evidence of leprosy, a new study reports. The finding, detailed in the May 27 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE, is also the first evidence for the disease in prehistoric India and sheds light on how the disease might...

Test Tube Babies On the Rise Worldwide

More than 200,000 babies were born worldwide with the help of in vitro fertilization and other reproductive technologies in 2002, with a 25 percent increase between 2000 and 2002, according to a new report. However, the Octomom aside, multiple births resulting from assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have been on the...

Genes Found Related to Onset of Menstruation and Menopause

Girls who begin menstruation earlier than average have a greater chance of being short and fat and are at greater risk for breast cancer and endometrial cancer later in life. Now scientists have found two genes involved in determining the onset of menstruation. The study also found genes related to...